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Using an 'electronic spreadsheet' for Plackett-Burman calculations.

A method using an "electronic spreadsheet" program for Plackett/Burman calculations, a partial factorial design highly efficient in detecting main effects with few trials, was presented. The program used was Visicalc and it was run on an Apple-II microcomputer. A study was performed to illustrate the calculations by testing nitrous-oxide (10024972) (N2O) passive monitors designed to be worn by persons in environments where there may be exposure to N2O. The following seven factors that might affect the accuracy of the monitor's response were tested: time (1 and 8 hours), humidity (10 and 80 percent), face velocity (610 and 6,100 centimeters per minute), N2O concentration (10 and 300 parts per million), halothane (151677) interference (1 and 5 parts per million), isopropanol (67630) interference (200 and 800 parts per million), and carbon- dioxide (124389) interference (2,500 and 10,000 parts per million). The entire spreadsheet template was described and illustrated. Calculations were performed that showed the exposure time to be the only factor significantly affecting the accuracy of N2O measurement.